Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1887-04-07

tongue out, and look Of agony on hel
bloated face. examined the finger
nails and found blood and flesh undel
them, left there as she clawed tho half
idiots face and hand. On the ground
was a tobacco-box, which he after
wards identified and boldly claimed
A murder had been committed, and
had discovered the murderer; but / was
not as enthusiastic over it as you may
have imagined. He was son mil
lionaire, and the father would spend
his last dollar to save him. Riches
control public opinion and. in some in
stances, the verdict of juries.
After an examination lasting quar-
ter of an hour and having carefully
gathered and preserved all possible
proofs, set out to bring the coroner
and jury. 1 had evidence enough to
warrant me in arresting VIII Grafton
at once, but felt that it would be
safer to 60 slow and wait for the opin-
ion of the jury. 1t was a matter OF
two hours before the officer and his
jury arrived. and all had not yet viewed
the body when Mr.. Grafton and two
or three others arrived in an excited
state of mind and announced that Fritz,
the coachman, had been captured. and
had partially confessed to the deed.
THIS news was, as you may imagine, a
shock to me. had not, In the first
place, heard that the coachman was
suspected, although he had gone off so
hurriedly. Mr.. Grafton had utterly re-
fused to point the finger of suspicion
that way during our talk in the morn
Ing, but had held to the theory that
the girl had run of with some giddy
companions to lead less respectable
career. His statement that Fritz was
probably guilty SO upset me that kept
my proofs in my pocket and gave the
jury no hint. The inquest was adjourn
ed until evening, and was then re-
sumed ut the house, while Fritz was
present in charge Of an officer. He
had been arrested at a town thirty
miles away, and attention had been
first called to him by his attempt to
commit suicide by drowning. When
charged with the murder he did not
deny it. When pressed to make u
confession he uttered 4 groan Of de-
spair and replied:
MAYBE did. for have been crazy
for four or five days. Let me go and
kill myself"
When searched few shillings in
money and a pocket-knife and other
articles were found on his person. He
was free of wounds or bruises of any
sort, and no buttons were missing from
his garments. Before he was called to
face the jury began to gropo for the
cause of his flight. 1t could not be for
the murder of the girl, for he was inno'
cent. 1t must be on account of in
formation received in that foreign
letter. went at once to his room in
the barn, which no one had yet eXamin-
ed and there | found the envelope in
tact, but the letter torn INTO twenty
fragments and flung on the floor.
gathered up the pieces and pasted them
together and then had the clew to his
actions. 1t was letter from his
mother in Germany. and it contained
two pieces of important news. First,
the mother, who was Il widow. had
been robbed of her every dollar by in
vestigating in some wildcat speculation
on the advice of friends, and, secondly,
the girl whom Fritz expected to return
home and marry in year had been
welded to another.
Fritz was de half crazy by tn,
news. and his sole desire seemed to bt
to get out OF the neighborbood as fas
as possible. The coroner, Mr.. Graf
ton. and myself held an interview with
him in private. The coroner was al
ignoramus, and he was only too glad tc
surrender his official privileges Il
Grafton, who eagerly accepted them. 1
was plain from the start that he mean
to catch poor Fritz in the tolls.
How could you do such horrible
thing?" he asked. as we were ready to
proceed. Tell us all about it."
Fritz began weeping.
did you kill Jennie because she re
fused to marry you? Yes, that was thu
reason. You lay in wait for her in tn,
woods"
Fritz kept up sobbing and moan
ing.
Il am sorry for you, and will do al
I can for you, but the law must take it
course. Perhaps the jury Will say tina
you were crazr, and that you shoulC
not be punished. ] hope it will, TO
you are good man, and ] don't believ'
you knew what you were doing. Well
coroner, have you any doubts of tn
prisoners guilt"
None, sir"
| AND you, MI. -!
Il have serious doubts" replied.
What! Haven't you been listenin;
to the examination"
But he has admitted nothing"
His actions bespeak his guilt a
plain as day. and we shall now tax
HIM before the jury and press him unit
he admits the murder
Before Fritz was taken into the roor
where the jury was sitting and man
spectators were assembled, Grafton wa
permitted to interview him in privat
for half an hour. When questioned bt
fore the jury he said:
IL may be the one. l had a grea
trouble come upon me, and l don
know what l did or where went.
1t was me I am sorry"
On the strength of this the coroner
jury rendered verdict that the eli
Jennie came to her death at the hand
| of Fritz. and he was taken off to ia
D and warrant sworn out. felt certai
d that Will Grafton had killed the cir
and expected to exhibit my proc
q before the jury, but when / saw Ora